Sex & you

Sex & you

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Chronic urinary tract infections and sex

Are you suffering from certain chronic urinary tract infections? Do these infections cause you problems in your sex life? Many bacteria like E coli for example can easily enter your body through the lower part of your urinary system in the urethra which is located very close to the genital area in both men and women. Furthermore, these bacteria can go through the upper part of the urethra (the tube that connects the bladder to the urinary meatus) and enter the bladder and in some cases they can even reach the kidneys. This can make the situation even more complicated.

Cystitis is another common problem that can appear in anyone. This infection is obtained after having sex with a completely new partner. Although this infection is present in men and women, young women are especially prone to developing this type of infection especially if they are at the beginning of their sex life.

The good news is that you can reduce the risk of urinary tract infections. In order to do that, you need to wash your hands before and after sex. Another good advice is to avoid touching the urogenital area after touching the anus. Groins and anus are areas where many bacteria that can cause infections dwell. It is good to know that is you use a diaphragm or spermicide as a method of contraception, the risk of getting infection of the urinary system is significantly higher. Since the symptoms of these infections can be easily spotted you should consult your doctor whenever you notice some of these symptoms. In many cases doctors prescribe low doses of antibiotics as a preventive measure. In this way the bacteria are eliminated without causing any problems to your metabolism and your body.

In general, women have much higher probability of getting a urinary tract infection after sex. Most of the researches in this field are mainly focused on younger people but recent studies have confirmed that women in postmenopausal period can get such infections too. Given the fact that the urinary system is so close to the genitals, sexually transmitted infections can be part of the problem too. Sexually transmitted infections like trichomoniasis and Chlamydia can cause urinary tract infections. That’s why you need to consult your doctor as fast as you can.

If you belong to the group of women who are suffering from frequent and recurrent urinary tract infections you should know that changing sex positions may help reduce the number of these infections. By changing sex position you may reduce the friction on the urethra and reduce the risk of recurrent infections.

Young men (under the age of 35) who are sexually active and avoid using condoms are prone to infections located in the epididymis (the tube that connects the vas deferens and the testicles).

Although urinary tract infections are very painful and not something uncommon they can be treated relatively easy. This is only the case when they are diagnosed early. When they are treated properly and promptly they cannot develop into something more serious.